Who’s Changed The Way They Food Shop Due To Covid??

[Smowball]

Are you all still doing it exactly the same or have you changed anything? I’ve normally done a weekly online shop to be delivered here for years, and then just walked to my local Lidl during the week if I run out of anything, but the last couple of of months it has been harder and harder to book a delivery slot, as I imagine far more people are shopping online than usual.
So have you changed anything or is it all still as usual? Are you buying more in bulk? More freezer bits?.....

[Mamyalynne]

Continued to shop online on a fortnightly basis as always, it was difficult early on as more people discovered on line shopping but family helped out then.

Pretty much back to normal at the moment and I book my next delivery as I am putting away the one just delivered.

Would love to buy more in bulk and batch cook and freeze but have limited freezer space.

[Smowball]

Hi Mamya. Yes I’ve just manage to book a slot for tomorrow. I’ve only recently started trying to more batch cooking as we are very lucky to have a tall fridge freezer in kitchen, plus our loft was converted into another room/bedroom for the whole loft and so we have a chest freezer up there too.

[calmck]

Here in Portugal I have switched to home delivery. Fill my trolley during the week, confirm Thursday evening for Friday delivery, no problem getting a slot. Receive email Friday morning to confirm if I want any substitutions for items unavailable. Receive text when driver 20 minutes away. Brilliant service

[naomi24]

I’ve never shopped on line, preferring to leave that for those who really need deliveries. During lockdown I went shopping less frequently, but apart from that nothing has changed.

[Smowball]

The aim when I force myself is to spend a whole day cooking chillis, casseroles etc....

[Smowball]

Hi Naomi, yes I know what you mean. But seeing as I still Cant drive at the min and Mr Smow is up to his eyeballs in work home deliveries are a godsend .

[Ken4155]

I've visited Tesco for my 'big shop' just 3 times during the pandemic. I have made do with topping up supplies from a local Farmfoods and getting my daughter to collect my fruit 'n' veg from a very decent grocers whose produce is always fresh.

[Smowball]

Hi calmck - who do you order with?

[Smowball]

Hi Ken,sounds like that works for you x

[woofgang]

no difference except its lovely now to be able to get Marks food at Ocado. It was a slight struggle to get slots at first in lockdown but I haven't foodshopped in an actual shop for many years so am used to not running out of things and popping to the shops.

[Smowball]

Hi woof. So do you buy things like bread and milk in bulk and pop some in freezer?

[Apc2604]

Delivery on line from Tesco's fortnightly and click and collect and click from Morrisons weekly and bits and pieces from Lidl as required. Because of our rural situation there are less people vying for slots and click and collect is always available at our Morrisons. It's such a little town and not far to go. We didn't have deliveries at all before Covid. We shall now continue with our new routine. It will be a joy not to have to shop in the winter. Any other shopping has been done on line for years and I haven't been in a department store or clothes shop for as long as I can remember. We really don't like shopping

[Ken4155]

Worked just fine, so far, Smow. At least i haven't starved:-) None too keen on wearing face coverings and a trip to Tesco means i would have to wear one on the journey downtown, in the store, and on the return journey. The FF store is 2 mins away on foot and i usually know exactly what i want to purchase and where to find it. So i'm in and out before you can say Len Goodman.

[woofgang]

bread in some bulk but I have got a breadmaker. I can also make my own bread by hand. I buy cravendale milk which has a huge long shelf life and kept some dried milk for just in case.

[Smowball]

Hi Apc - yes I also can’t tell you the last time went shopping for anything (apart from nipping to local Lidl if we run out of milk/bread). I buy all clothes, birthday presents, household items online

[Smowball]

I’ve also tried meal planning - so I’m not buying stuff for the sake of it. Last two weeks Ive managed to plan the following 7 days evening meals, even if I jiggle them about a bit.

[BAKERS DOZEN]

Have never done food shopping online as I like to check dates and look at my fruit and veg before I buy. Early Saturday morning at Morrisons for big shop and then Tues/Wed early morning shop at Aldi for milk, bread etc. Might need things midweek as Mr BD does all cooking and baking so it just depends on which recipes he's been looking at.

[bednobs]

I do wonder what happens when someone (like you) has to suddenly self isolate with not much warning especially for at least a few days if there are not slots. What are you doing? Have you got someone to bring you stuff smow?

[Smowball]

Hey BD - your other half does all the cooking? Send him round lol!
Hi bednobs - luckily the in-laws only live about 4 miles away and they’ve always offered to go shopping for us, even tho I’ve not taken them upon it yet. And just today a friend who lives just 2 roads away offered to do the same, after she heard that teen smow was poorly and just in case I went down sick myself

[diddlydo]

I've actually been in more supermarkets during the pandemic as we can't go to France for vital supplies e.g. wine, coffee and a whole host of other things. I've also been to Waitrose in my usual early bird slot once a week. I've only ever had bad experiences with online orders so haven't even bothered trying to get a slot. A friend invited me to join in her slot one week and of the 4 items I really needed 3 were unavailable. Utterly pointless!